Understanding Chronic Pain: A Doctor Talks to His Patients [Hardcover]

Robert T. Cochran Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2004

Understanding Chronic Pain is a personal narrative, a record of Dr. Cochran’s passage among victims of chronic pain and the discoveries that came from those encounters. Dr. Cochran speaks to physicians, nurses, therapists, and caregivers, but mostly, he speaks to and writes for those who suffer from the disease of chronic pain.

This book offers a series of essays about people who suffer chronic pain. From their case histories, the author derives certain conclusions. Not all of them apply to all patients, but some certainly will. His wish, he says, is that the book will help chronic pain sufferers gain greater understanding of their illness—for only in understanding can it be conquered.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A graduate of Vanderbilt University Medical School, Robert T. Cochran Jr., M.D., completed his residency in internal medicine and neurology at the University of Texas and Duke University. In 1963, he established his private medical practice in Nashville, where he continues to work today.

Serving as the co-director of the Pain Center at Centennial Hospital in Nashville in the 1990s, Dr. Cochran built a reputation as a leader in chronic pain treatment. Treating thousands of pain patients throughout his forty-year practice has enabled him to explore the commonality of all chronic pain sufferers, as well as understand the real scope of painfulness.

Dr. Cochran uniquely incorporates the fields of neurology, internal medicine, and psychiatry in deriving insightful—sometimes disturbing yet hopeful—conclusions for the chronic pain sufferer. He brings to light intriguing new treatment strategies that should be of interest to the medical community and chronic pain sufferers alike.

Dr. Cochran and his wife, Donna, reside in Nashville. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Hillsboro Press (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577363027
• ISBN-13: 978-1577363026
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,416,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Connecting all the dots of chronic pain, April 21, 2005

By 

Linda M. Foreman "pain sufferer" (albuquerque,NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Understanding Chronic Pain: A Doctor Talks to His Patients (Hardcover)

I have suffered chronic pain for over 5+ years and have spent a great deal of time researching the subject. I recently picked up Dr. Cochran's book and spent two days devouring his book. On the third day, I e-mailed him at his web site to explain my chronic pain problems and to my surprise, he contacted me by phone 2 days later!! I was so impressed that I subsequently flew from New Mexico to Nashville to meet with him. Dr. Cochran is a gifted physician who cares deeply for his patients and combined with his gift of listening, his expertise with neuropharmacology and his unsurpassed understanding of chronic pain he was able to come with up with a personal game plan for me. Dr. Cochran's truly understands the mind body connection and the implications that emotions can create havoc with your pain. Dr. Cochran's Book exempilfies "Thinking outside the box". I guarantee that you, the reader will be able to relate to some of his case studies. I highly recommend reading this book. I also suggest that your current or past pain physician has not spoken to some of the issues brought forward by this book. This is necessary reading to those who do suffer from chronic pain. Give a copy to your physician or at the very least discuss the book with them, as well as, your friends and family.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, original, and compassionate help, February 25, 2006

By 

George Grady "GFG" (Boston, MA,USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding Chronic Pain: A Doctor Talks to His Patients (Hardcover)

This is that rare book that will help and inform physicians and patients alike through fascinating and instructive "stories" (case reports.) There are no claims of dramatic breakthroughs but rather a believable success rate that can be raised from the usual 25% or so to more than 50%, which is dramatic when one considers that Dr. Cochran ends up with referrals that have not responded to any number of treatments. The approach Dr. Cochran uses involves an exceptional amount of listening to the whole history, and a willingness to try various combinations of medications and insightful thinking about factors that may trigger or perpetuate chronic pain. Readers can find other books on the subject (see cross references, Amazon), and the scientifically minded can sample controlled studies such as "Combination Therapy for Neuropathic Pain-Which Drugs, Which Combination, Which Patients", New England Journal of Medicine, 352:13, March 31,2005. As a doctor of the same vintage as Dr. Cochran, I agree that the time has arrived to use the insights of modern immunology, i.e. that the body may attack itself in certain diseases (Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc.) in such a way that the "immune" response is counterproductive, analogous to how acute pain may provide protective reactions but chronic pain means that the mechanism has gone awry and is defeating the original purpose. Dr. Cochran describes the likely ways in which this perverted response can occur, and what might work to break the cycle. I have bought an extra copy so I can lend it to willing readers while keeping my original copy readily available.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NOT JUST WHERE DOES IT HURT, BUT WHY DOES IT HURT, October 7, 2004

By 

David D. Duncan "The Scoffer" (Nashville, TN, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Understanding Chronic Pain: A Doctor Talks to His Patients (Hardcover)

For far too long, chronic pain sufferers have been considered as just another difficult statistic. In many previous books on the subject, very little empathy for their tortuous plight has been shown. This is no longer true with the publication of UNDERSTANDING CHRONIC PAIN: A DOCTOR TALKS TO HIS PATIENTS, in which Dr. Robert T. Cochran, Jr. effectively puts a personal face on the debilitating dilemma of chronic pain.

His compassion and determination to actually help his patients control their intense levels of pain shines though on every well-written page. By examining actual case studies, we learn emphatically that no one should suffer needlessly when legitimate pain control options are available. One can only hope Dr. Cochran's expertise and enthusiasm in this area will inspire other professionals to be more considerate in dealing with this important yet complicated area of caregiving.